Why are more people contesting Wills in England?

31 March 2026

Recent findings suggest a growing risk of inheritance disputes, with over one in five UK adults saying they would consider challenging a Will or estate if they believed it was unfair or did not reflect the deceased’s wishes.

This insight comes from a survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted during the Association of Lifetime Lawyers’ annual Update Your Will Week campaign in early March.

With the likelihood of family disputes rising, it’s worth exploring how you can clarify your wishes for those left behind.

Draft a Will

The data showed that almost half of UK adults are worried that a missing or outdated Will could lead to disagreements within their family.

Despite this concern, almost half of them still do not have a Will themselves.

If you are one of the 48 per cent who have yet to officially document how you would like your assets distributed and to whom, there’s no time like the present.

Without a valid Will, families are left guessing what their loved one wanted and, in some cases, are dragged into court to settle disputes.

Update your Will

One of the main issues we see with clients who make a Will is that they don’t update it.

Best practice is to review and update your Will whenever your circumstances change.

The main life events that should trigger a review include:

• Marriage or divorce
• The birth of a child or grandchild
• Changes in financial circumstances
• Starting or selling a business
• A bereavement in the family
• A beneficiary obtaining a Gender Recognition Certificate

If you have recently experienced any of the above events, check your Will to see if you need to make any alterations to accommodate your new circumstances.

Discussing your wishes with family

Openly talking about what you want to happen to your assets after you die with family and friends can feel uncomfortable at the time, but it does help ensure everyone is on the same page.

You can also discuss funeral arrangements preferences, so they aren’t left wondering if you wanted to be cremated or buried.

Reasons behind the uplift in Will contention

There are several factors driving an increase in Will disputes in 2026.

Blended families, for example, can create competing expectations between spouses, children and stepchildren.

At the same time, rising property values have increased the overall worth of estates, making disagreements over unequal distributions more likely.

An ageing population has also increased the risk of disputes, particularly over issues such as mental capacity and undue influence.

Meanwhile, younger generations are becoming more reliant on inheritance to get on the property ladder and just for general financial stability, which can heighten tensions if they don’t receive what they expected.

Greater public awareness of the right to challenge a Will, partly influenced by media coverage, is also playing a role in the increase.

If you are thinking about contesting a Will, it is important to seek specialist legal advice to understand your position and the options available.

How we can help you plan for the future

If your Will is out of date or you do not yet have one, now is the time to act.

At Mander Hadley, our Accredited Lifetime Lawyers provide expert guidance on later-life legal planning.

We can support you in putting clear arrangements in place to help protect your wishes and reduce the risk of future disputes.

If you have concerns about inheritance disputes or need advice on creating or updating a Will, please contact our team.